Tomorrow will always be a better day !

Not that today hasn’t been lovely …not at all, but with our PMA ( Positive Mental Attitude ) , tomorrow will always be better!!

Let me start by informing you of the results of our research ( on your behalf, remember) last night . We would highly recommend this lovely little Sauvignon Blanc from the Navarra region …..

When we went into the restaurant, our fellow food loving Italian Pilgrim was already eating there …so we knew it would be good!

We opted for San Sebastián style monkfish followed by slow cooked lamb …

When we had finished our meal and we’re ready to leave at about 20.15 ( no late nights for us two you know ) this young lady came to see us …

We left the bar …saying good night to all …this little lady was happily tucking into a plate of fried squid !!😘😘

After a reasonable and long night , we were up with the dawn, and ready for off ..

On our way back over the Puente Carcel …

From the top of the bridge we had a good view of the Convento de Santa Clara ..

Anyway we were then back on the Camino path on our way to Los Arcos ! However, as we were walking along the road , one of our fellow pilgrims walking with her husband , suddenly fell backwards and banged her head on the road . We went to help …she managed to get up and we steered her to a doorway to sit … we have no idea what happened after that but doubt she would have ( or should have ) walked today.

We are now on Day 6 and very conscious that we have to keep our wits about us ( seeing a fellow pilgrim fall had particularly brought this to the fore) …tiredness can certainly lead to a lapse in concentration and a fall . However, we are both amazed at how we are managing ( don’t worry…I just touched wood 😉) …our fellow Dublin pilgrim calls us ‘the Yorkshire Girls’ and today a Spanish couple, who we’ve chatted to frequently, told us they thought we were about fifty seven !!! We’ll take that thank you …and no comments please from certain quarters that they should have gone to Specsavers!!!!

Today’s route took us mainly through arable land and grape vines …and close to Estella at the start of today’s walk, we passed several Bodegas ( where the wine is produced)

Now I think you will all heard of water fountains… but who has heard of a wine fountain ? No, I am not joking …and here are the photos to prove it ….

However I can assure you it is red wine and perfectly drinkable !

Translated this reads :-

Pilgrim

If you want to arrive in Santiago

with strength and vitality

of this great wine , take a swig

And make a toast to happiness!

Well, I don’t know about arriving in Santiago with strength and vitality , I could do with arriving in Logroño tomorrow in one piece ! Only one thing for it …we’ll have to have wine with our meal ..never mind just drink it for the purposes of research on your behalf!!!!

As we approached this particular place, we passed a fellow pilgrim playing his harmonica …very soothing 😘

No ….not a particularly dirty pair of boots – compliment accepted …actual proof we’ve been treading the path….it is in fact an ant nest !! All along our route I have noticed on many of the paths , loads of ants and large ones at that !

Now I don’t want you to think this blog is put together just any how ! We have advisors on hand on many subjects to make sure you get the correct facts . Re the ants…Kathleen has a specialist in ant behaviour who she consults at times of need . He informed her that if you stamp on the ground above an ant’s nest the ants will come to the surface! Well that explains the presence of so many ants on the paths ….all those boots passing over their heads incites them to come out and see what is going on !!! They’ll be disappointed of course …and probably squashed but there you go!!

In the same vein, I have an international political advisor …,and you’re not going to believe the latest news particularly pertinent to my Xmas theme! I am reliably informed that President Maduro of Venezuela has allegedly dedicated 1/10/24 to be an extra Christmas Day to cheer people up !!🌲🌲🎅🎅You couldn’t make it up could you …sign number six that there are now 111 days to Xmas Day ( well, unless you live in Venezuela that is 😉😉)

Sometimes our specialist advisors can let us down of course . For example, my gourmet Spanish food expert got things a little wrong last evening . Despite having the menu in English some words remain in Spanish , one of which was “ gorrin”. I had no idea what this was, so consulted my advisor who informed me it was a bird , and a small one at that! Interesting I thought …the menu offered roast palatilla ( shoulder) of gorrin , and also head of gorrin …not sure I’m enthused by a head of anything , but certainly not that of a small bird 🙄🙄😂😂Now you’re wondering what “ gorrin” is aren’t you …well, we found out eventually, because our Italian foodie pilgrim had ordered the shoulder version . It was in fact pork ! Please don’t ask about the head , thank you 🙏

In case you’re wondering, we are fortunate not to require specialist wine advisors …having trained long and hard we are both amply qualified to carry that title ourselves .

Now, where was I ? Oh yes crossing the arable plains and vineyards of Navarra!

This was a brilliant cafe …as inside was…

We had a sing along disco whilst queuing to order the coffee …Dire Straits ‘Sultans of Swing’ , Queen ‘We are the Champions’, Heather Small ‘Proud’ , Celene Dion ‘ My Heart will go on’ …absolutely brilliant 👏👏👏

This was our view ! Still no sign of our destination anywhere 🙈🙈.. but onward ( and probably upward ) we must go 🙄🙄

On and on we trod , until ….

We arrived at our hotel …and yes we do have a flushable toilet …to find our room overlooks the church! Beautiful 😘

Well that is until you discover the church bells chime every quarter of an hour . Perhaps they only work during daylight hours 🤔🤔…no matter, Kathleen has ear plugs should we require them !!!

So Dear Reader onto tomorrow, our 7th and final day of walking this part of the Camino ….it is our longest day so will possibly be tough, but you know us! We’ll do everything we can to nail it !!!

I’ll leave you Dear Reader with this thought

“ An eye for an eye only ends up leaving the whole world blind”

Mahatma Gandhi

Hasta Mañana……